Apparel with removable sleeves



Nov. 3, 1964 1. ROSENBERG APPAREL WITH REMOVABLE SLEEVES Filed June 29, 1962 FIG. "2

FIG. 5

I l l I I I I II II I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII rf! INVENTOR.

ISAAC ROSENBERG FIG-6 ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,154,799 APZAREL v /1TH REll/fQVABLE SLEEVES Isaac Rosenberg, 7569 Buford Drive, Clayton 5, Mo. Filed lune 29, 1962, Ser. No. 206,415 Claims. (til. 2126) This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in apparel garments and, more particularly, to apparel garments in the nature of blouses and shirts.

Today, sleeveless blouses have become a rather popular summer and spring weather garment in the female wardrobe, along with the short sleeve blouses. For certain casual dress, the sleeveless blouse is often preferred by many, and for \a more dressy effect, the short sleeve blouse is preferred. Oftentimes, it is desirable to change from a sleeveless blouse to a short sleeve blouse, dependent upon the usual dress of a particular function or event.

Men and women alike often wear sleeveless shirts or blouses when participating in sporting events, such as golfing, tennis, bowling, or the like. it is generally the feeling arnong such sport enthusiasts that garments with sleeves interfere with their arm action.

in order to have a complete wardrobe, such men and women usually maintain both sleeveless and short sleeve garments. Moreover, most whiter garments contain full length sleeves and, therefore, it is incumbent upon the wearer of such clothin to supply his or her wardrobe with both short sleeve and full length sleeve blouses or shirts.

it is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a blouse or shirt with readily detachable sleeve portions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a blouse or shirt of the type stated which is provided with a unique fastening means for easily and conveniently removing the sleeve portions of said garment.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a blouse or shint of the type stated which is provided with a lining attachment structure entirely concealed from view when the sleeve portions forming part of the garment are removed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a blouse or shirt of the type stated which will maintain the fastening elements snugly and securely in a proper position without causing buckling or wrinkling of the garment.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings (one sheet)-- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blouse constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the blouse of FIG. 1 showin the sleeve portions removed.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 33 and 44, respectively, of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates an apparel garment in the nature of a blouse or shirt generally comprising two front panels 1, 2, each of which are connected along one of their transverse margins to a back panel 3, by mears of vertical seams 4, 5. The front panels 1, 2, are secured to the back panel 3 along the shoulder portions by means of shoulder scams 6, 7, and

3,1543% Patented Nov. 3, 1964 a collar structure 8. The front panels 1, 2, are designed to overlap in the conventional manner and are provided, respectively, with button holes 9 and buttons iii. In the present instance, the garment A is illustrated as the type which buttons up the front, although it should be obvious that any other type of blouse or shirt for outer wear may be employed, and the present invention may be applied with equal facility to mens blouses or shirts as well as to womens blouses or shirts or to full length dresses as well.

As shown in FIG. 2, the blouse A is made without sleeves, and the respective panels 1, 2, and 3, are cut and stitched in such manner to form a pair of arm holes'll. The front panels 1, 2, and the back panel 3 are marginally turned under in the region of the arm holes 11 and stitched by a line of stitches s to an inturned portion 12 of a relatively wide inner facing strip or so-called bias tape 13, in the manner as shown in FIG. 6. The facing strip 13 is annular about the margin of the arm holes ii, and stitched to the panels 1 and 3 by means of a line of stitches s through the facing strip 13, is a zipper element 14 forming part of a zipper 15. The two ends or termini of the zipper element 14- will be spaced from and match each other along the vertical seams 5, in the manner as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6. It can be seen that the zipper element 14 is spaced inwardly a slight distance from the inturned margins of the panels 1 and 3:, so as to remain fully enclosed within the garment A and completely concealed from view. It should be noted that the other arm holes ll formed between panels 2 and 3 are similarly provided with a facing strip 13 and zipper element 14, the construction of the two arm holes ll being substantially identical except for the fact that they are on opposite sides of the blouse A. Moreover, it is to be noted that each of the zipper elements 14 lie substantially hat with the respective facing strips 13 and, therefore, does not cause an excessive thickness or bulkiness around the arm holes ll.

Provided for removable attachment to the zipper element 14 at each of the arm holes 11 are detachable sleeves 1e conventionally provided with cuffs 17 at one end thereof. The other end of each of the sleeves to is marginally turned under in the provision of a flap i8 and secured thereto by means of a line of stitching H is a zipper element 20 which is adapted for matching engagement with the zipper element 14 and together form the zipper 15 when secured in the manner as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. By reference to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the zipper element 2% extends outwardly from the margins of the flap 18, for a short distance and is marginally provided with a slide fastener element Zl which is adapted to match and mesh with the zipper element 14 for optional engagement and disengagement therewith. It should be noted that the zipper elements id and 2% will always remain hidden from view when connected to form the short sleeve blouse as shown in Pi l. Secured to the interior portion of each of the sleeves 15 in the region of the termini of the zipper elements 2b are zipper shields 22. Each of the zipper shields 22 are provided with inturned flaps 23 which are disposed upon the flaps 1.8 and secured thereto through lines of stitching 2 The shields 22 are sized so as to be disposed over the fastener elements 21 when the sleeves 16 are attached to the blouse A. Thus, after the sleeves 16 are attached to the blouse A, the wearer can merely grasp the shields 22 before button-ing or fastening the panels 1, 2, and pull the shields 22 over the slide fastener element 21. The unattached ends of the shields 22 will hang loosely along the vertical scams 4, S, on the interior of the blouse A and thus protect the arms of the wearer from any contact with the zipper elements 29.

The zipper element 14 at one arm hole 11 is reversed in direction with respect to the other zipper element 14 at the opposite arm hole 11. In other words, the one zipper element 14- will accommodate the slide fastener element '21from front to rear, when closing, and the zipper 14 of the opposite arm hole 11 will accommodate the slide fastener element 21 from rear to front, when closing. Through the attachment of the zipper elements 14 in this manner, it can be seen that each of the sleeves 16 are substantially identical and are, moreover, interchangeable. Thus, it can be seen that either of the sleeves to can be secured to the garment A at either of the arm holes 11 as the zipper element 24 of one sleeve is able to accon modate' either of the zipper elements 1d.

In use, the blouse A can be worn either with or. without the sleeves 15. If it is desired to remove the sleeves 16, the wearer merely grasps the slide fastener element 21 for disengaging each or" the zipper elements 14, 2d, and thereby disconnecting the sleeves 16 from the louse A. If it is then desired to attach the sleeves 16 to form a short sleeve blouse or shirt, the wearer merely slips his arms in each of the sleeves 1d and fastens the zipper ele ment 29 to the zipper element 14 by manipulation of the 'slide fastener element 21. This can be easily and conveniently accomplished While the garment A is worn, and there is no need for the wearer to take off the garment A in order toattach or detach the sleeves i6 thereto.

It should be obvious that there are various modifications which are possible in connection with the present invention. For example, a shirt or blouse having ull length sleeves could be made into a sleeveless blouse by employment of the present invention. Therefore, if it were desirable to transform a winter garment into a sleeveless garment, it would only be necessary to remove the full length sleeves. It is also possible to provide a garment which has short sleeves attached to a sleeveless garment in the manner of the present invention and to provide additional sleeve portions with zipper elements for attachment to the free end of the short sleeves. This will enable one to have in combination a sleeveless blouse, a short sleeve blouse, or a full length sleeve blouse at his or her option Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparel garment comprising a body portion having a pair of front panels and a back panel, said front panels being secured to said back panel along a pair of seams, said back and front panels being attached in such manner to have a pair of opposite arm holes which are so located to accommodate the arms of the wearer, said panels being turned in around the entire periphery of the arm holes in the provision of arm hole encircling flaps, continuous arm hole encircling pieces of tape each being stitched together at its ends to form an endless element, said pieces of tape being turned in around their outer margins to form in-turned flaps, the latter being respectively stitched to the armhole encircling flaps so that a substantial portion of each of the pieces of tape will extend inwardly from the margin of the arm hole in the provision of free-swinging annular flaps, a pair of sleeve members provided for removable securement to the body portion at said arm holes, a first zipper element being annularly secured to and extending around the annularfiaps of each of said arm holes by line of stitches which are free of the back and front panels except for the intervention of the annular flaps, and a second zipper element being operatively secured to each of said sleeve members for companion attachment to said first zipper element, said second'zipper element having a slide element.

2. An apparel garment comprising a body portion having a pair of front panels and a back panel, said front panels being secured to said back panel along a pair of seams, said back and front panels being attached in such manner to have a pair of opposite arm holes which are so located to accommodate the arms of the wearer, said panels being turned in around the entire periphery of the arm holes in the provision of arm hole encircling flaps, continuous arm hole encircling pieces of tape each being stitched together at its ends to form an endless element, said pieces of tape being turned in around their outer margins to form iii-turned flaps, the latter being respectively stitched to the armhole encircling flaps so that a substantial portion of each of the pieces of tape will extend inwardly from the margin of the arm hole in the provision of free-swinging annular flaps, a pair of sleeve members provided for removable securement to the body portion at said arm holes, a first zipper element being annularly' secured to and extending around the annular flaps of each of said arm holes, by lines of stitches which are free of the back and front panels except for the intervention of the annular flaps, said first zipper element being spaced inwardly from the outer margin of said arm holes to remain hidden from external view, and a second zipper element being operatively secured to each of said sleeve members for companion attachment to said first zipper element, said second zipper element hav ing a slide element. 7

3. An apparel garment comprising a body portion having a pair of front panels and a back panel, said front panels being secured to said back panel along a pair of Scams, said back and front panels being attached in such manner to have a pair of opposite arm holes which are so located to accommodate the arms of the wearer, said panels being turned in around the entire periphery of the arm holes in the provision of arm hole encircling flaps, continuous arm hole encircling pieces of tape each being stitched together at its ends to form an endless element, said pieces of tape being turned in around their outer margins to form iii-turned flaps, the latter being respectivel stitched to the armhole encircling ha 5 so that a substantial portion of each or the pieces of tape will extend inwardly from the margin of the. arm hole in the provision of free-swinging annular flaps, a pair of sleeve members provided for removable securement to the body portion at said arm holes, a first zipper element being annularly secured to and extending around the annular flaps each of said arm holes by lines of stitches which are free of the back and front panels except for the intervention of the annular flaps, said first zipper element being spaced inwardly from the outer margin of said arm holes to remain hidden from external view, and a second zipper element being operatively secured to each of said sleeve members for companion attachment to said first zipper element, said second zipper element having a slide element, said second zipper element extending out Wardly from the outer margin of said sleeve members for insertion into each of said arm holes.

4. An apparel garment comprising a body portion having a pair of front panels and a back panel, said front panels being secured to said back panel along a pair of seams, said back and front panels being attached in such manner to have a pair of opposite arm holes which are so located to accommodate the arms of the wearer, said panels being turned in around the entire periphery of the arm holes in the provision of arm hole encircling flaps, continuous arm hole encircling pieces of tape each being stitched together at its ends to form an endless element, said pieces of tape being turned in around their outer margin to form iii-turned flaps, the latter being res ectively stitched to the armhole encircling flaps so that a substantial portion of. each of the pieces of tape will extend inwardly from the margin of the arm hole in the provision of free-swinging annular flaps, a pair of sleeve members provided for removable securement to the body portion at said arm holes, a first zipper element being annularly secured to and extending around the annular flaps of each of said arm holes by lines of stitches which are free of the back and front panels except for the intervention of the annular flaps, said first zipper element being spaced inwardly from the outer margin of said arm holes to remain hidden from external view, and a second zipper element being operatively secured to each of said sleeve members for companion attachment to said first zipper element, said second zipper element having a slide element, said second zipper element extending outwardly from the outer margin of said sleeve members for insertion into each of said arm holes, one of Said first zipper elements being reversed in direction with respect to the other of said first zipper elements.

5. An apparel garment according to claim 1 in which each of the sleeve members is provided With a free- 15 swinging shield-forming flap which is stitched thereto in overlying relation to the zipper element attached to such sleeve member, whereby the shield-forming flaps extend inwardly over the portion of the zipper elements underlying the arm pits of the wearer when the sleeve members are in attached position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,122,873 Shuster July 5, 1938 2,677,131 Shuster May 4, 1954 2,690,565 Cornet Oct. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 608,323 Great Britain Sept. 14, 1948 

1. AN APPAREL GARMENT COMPRISING A BODY PORTION HAVING A PAIR OF FRONT PANELS AND A BACK PANEL, SAID FRONT PANELS BEING SECURED TO SAID BACK PANEL ALONG A PAIR OF SEAMS, SAID BACK AND FRONT PANELS BEING ATTACHED IN SUCH MANNER TO HAVE A PAIR OF OPPOSITE ARM HOLES WHICH ARE SO LOCATED TO ACCOMMODATE THE ARMS OF THE WEARER, SAID PANELS BEING TURNED IN AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIPHERY OF THE ARM HOLES IN THE PROVISION OF ARM HOLE ENCIRCLING FLAPS, CONTINUOUS ARM HOLE, ENCIRCLING PIECES OF TAPE EACH BEING STITCHED TOGETHER AT ITS ENDS TO FORM AN ENDLESS ELEMENT, SAID PIECES OF TAPE BEING TURNED IN AROUND THEIR OUTER MARGINS TO FORM IN-TURNED FLAPS, THE LATTER BEING RESPECTIVELY STITCHED TO THE ARMHOLE ENCIRCLING FLAPS SO THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF EACH OF THE PIECES OF TAPE WILL EXTEND INWARDLY FROM THE MARGIN OF THE ARM HOLE IN THE PROVISION OF FREE-SWINGING ANNULAR FLAPS, A PAIR OF SLEEVE MEMBERS PROVIDED FOR REMOVABLE SECUREMENT TO THE BODY PORTION AT SAID ARM HOLES, A FIRST ZIPPER ELEMENT BEING ANNULARLY SECURED TO AND EXTENDING AROUND THE ANNULAR FLAPS OF EACH OF SAID ARM HOLDS BY LINES OF STITCHES WHICH ARE FREE OF THE BACK AND FRONT PANELS EXCEPT FOR THE INTERVENTION OF THE ANNULAR FLAPS, AND A SECOND ZIPPER ELEMENT BEING OPERATIVELY SECURED TO EACH OF SAID SLEEVE MEMBERS FOR COMPANION ATTACHMENT TO SAID FIRST ZIPPER ELEMENT, SAID SECOND ZIPPER ELEMENT HAVING A SLIDE ELEMENT. 